I know, I know, that title already kind of gives away some of the mystique. If you choose to read on, however, I think you’ll see that there are still some surprises in the black metal shadows.
This genre, so extreme and macabre, is very complicated to be a fan of. There are some, let’s say, unseemly ideologies running amok amidst these satanic lo-fi guitars and blast beat drums. But when we trace back the most important points of its existence, we hit some very crucial records. As well as some very controversial records. Because what would a black metal music list be without me pissing off black metal fans?
Below, you will find a list of what I believe are the most important black metal albums from each of the past four decades. Starting with the one that made it all possible.
1980s: ‘Black Metal’ (1982) By Venom
You don’t get black metal without Venom’s Black Metal. Essentially a Motörhead head record if Lemmy worshiped the Devil, the band’s 1982 sophomore album paved the road that would eventually make way for the entire genre.
It’s dark and gritty, full of fast guitar riffs and Satan-praising lyrics/vocals by the band’s frontman, Cronos. The late heavy metal vocalist truly was the godfather of the genre. Everything that came after this owes him, the band, and this album a debt of gratitude.
1990s: ‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’ (1994) by Mayhem
Jumping more than a decade into the 90s, we find the most infamous black metal band of all time: Mayhem.
There’s, like, almost no point in trying to go into all the unholy lore of Mayhem. Suffice it to say there’s a bunch of murder, suicide, and church burnings; all soundtracked by some of the greatest black metal that’s ever been committed to recording.
Specifically, the band’s 1994 debut studio album, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. It marked a thrashy and chaotic new chapter for black metal, full of hard partying and living what they preached. Which was rarely a good thing outside of the groundbreaking music.
2000s: ‘Nymphetamine’ (2004) by Cradle of Filth
I feel like this is going to be a little bit of a controversial entry, because Cradle of Filth changed a lot from the 90s to the 2000s. Their earlier work is closer to the 80s black metal stylings of Bathory in that it was transitional but with a thematic twist.
However, with the ushering in of 2004’s Nymphetamine, Cradle of Filth unveiled an assertive direction. It was still vicious and offensive, but now their brand of symphonic black metal had become one of the first to break through into the mainstream metal scene.
This album, regardless of your feelings about it, opened black metal to a whole new congregation of fans, sustaining the genre for the decades to come.
2010s: ‘Sunbather’ (2013) by Deafheaven
I KNOW this is going to be a controversial entry.
Deafheaven’s role in black metal has always come under scrutiny because of purists who don’t respect their blending of shoegaze into the sound. My personal opinion is: f**k that. I think that black metal, more than most other genres, lends itself perfectly to shoegaze elements. And I think it was brilliant of Deafheaven to forge their own blend.
Now, I don’t want to do these dudes a disservice by not acknowledging their ability to riff. Because they can shred with the best. But it was certainly the distorted and atmospheric tsunami of sound from their 2014 album Sunbather that really captivated listeners from all walks of life.
Was it the first record to do this? No. But it was the one that broke through and planted a flag for where the black metal was going to go over the next several years.
Bonus / 2020s (So Far): self-titled by Witch Club Satan
Now, we’re only in 2026, so who knows what the next few years hold, but as far as what’s making an impact now, I have three words for you: Witch Club Satan.
This all-female Norwegian black metal band is slaying—f**king SLAYING—the scene right now. They are one of the most defiant, audacious, and brazen groups of black metal musicians I have ever seen, and I love them.
I think, normally, pointing out that a band is “all-female” is kind of a cop-out for people who want to demean women’s accomplishments. “Oh, they’re an all-female band, so they’re not as good as their male counterparts.” That bulls**t doesn’t fly here. These women are incredible musicians. Full stop.
Witch Club Satan’s sound has a very traditional second-wave-of-black-metal vibe, and their lyricism injects a much-needed sense of femininity and matriarchal ideology.
In 2024, they released their self-titled debut studio album, and there’s not one black metal record that has come close to touching its necessity and versatility over the past half-decade.
Photo by Pete Cronin/Redferns
The post From Venom to Deafheaven: The 4 Most Important Black Metal Albums From Each of the Past Four Decades appeared first on VICE.
